Belgian Wit (3944) Taking Forever To Ferment Out

[ozpowell]

Hi Guys,

I put a wit down 12 days ago (OG 1046) with a decent 1L starter (Wyeast 3944). Fermentation started within 6 hours, huge krausen (didn't use a blowoff, so huge mess also ). Fermentation temp 18 or 19 degrees. The next day I left for a weeks vacation. When I returned I was surprised to see that there was still activity. I checked the gravity - only down to 1024! Left it another couple of days, down to 1020. Decided to raise the temp a little to 21 degrees to try to rouse the yeast into a bit more activity. Still fermented away at 1018. Beer tastes fine (great actually ), but am just a little concerned about the extremely long ferment.

Has anyone else experienced this wierd behavior from this yeast?

Also, this stuff has to be the messiest yeast I have ever dealt with - the top of my fermenter brings back bad memories of changing my kids' nappies (smells better though). Doesn't seem to have flocculated much either...

Thanks,
Michael.

 

[Trent]

Yep, Michael
It'll do that. Its a notoriously long fermenter, despite the crazy blowoff you will usually get early in the piece. The one I did for my wedding took 10 or 12 days, and for the last 5 I was giving it a good stir with a paddle every day to keep the yeast munching away. It will finish, probably somewhere around the 1010 mark, but 2 weeks seems to be fairly standard. Maybe try giving it a stir with a well sanitised paddle?
All the best
Trent

 

[Weizguy]

Yep, I agree with Trent here.

Before I made my first Witbier, I did some research on the web and found that:

1. You should use a yeast starter of 2-3 litres
2. You should ferment at 16-18 (depending on the strain)
3. Wit yeasts take their time to ferment
4. You can swirl the fermnetor daily to rouse the yeast (if you don't want stir with the lid off, to reduce potential oxidation and contamination issues)

As with any info on the web, do your own further research before accepting anything you read (especially if it goes against your own real-world experiences). Then push the boundaries in your own experiments.

Beerz
Seth

 

[NZBeer]

I've had similar troubles with an ESB I'm brewing at the moment. Started at 1061 and 9 days later its only down to 1025, still slowly bubbling away. Ferment temp is around the 21 degree mark though it has definantly been lower than that. I'm using the Wyeast 1098. I pitched a 2L starter into about 40L and was fermemting after 8 hours. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks
NZBeer

 

[tangent]

As with any info on the web, do your own further research before accepting anything you read (especially if it goes against your own real-world experiences). Then push the boundaries in your own experiments.

Brilliant :beer:

 

[reVoxAHB]

I've had similar troubles with an ESB I'm brewing at the moment. Started at 1061 and 9 days later its only down to 1025, still slowly bubbling away. Ferment temp is around the 21 degree mark though it has definantly been lower than that. I'm using the Wyeast 1098. I pitched a 2L starter into about 40L and was fermemting after 8 hours. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Wyeast 1098 is notorious for not dropping below 1.025 without some encouragement. Gently rocking or swirling your fermenter should help move it along. Do this daily until hitting your target FG, or consecutive readings in target range.

FWIW, I brewed an ESB approx. 8 weeks ago using a 1L started W1098, OG 1.054/FG 1.015. Ferm 19C and it dropped straight to 1.015 without the need for rocking. Guess I got lucky. If your beer is still in primary and stuck at 1.025, consider racking to secondary which should be enough to kick the last .010 or so.

reVox

 

[ozpowell]

FYI - my Wit hit finally 1.009 last Thursday (2 week ferment). Will be bottling later this week.

Thanks to all those who responded.

Cheers,
Michael.

 

[NZBeer]

Wyeast 1098 is notorious for not dropping below 1.025 without some encouragement. Gently rocking or swirling your fermenter should help move it along. Do this daily until hitting your target FG, or consecutive readings in target range.

reVox

Thanks for you input Revox, I have been giving it a gentle rocking each day and ensuring the temp stays in the right range. I think the las t time I checked it was 1020 so will give it another week.

NZBeer

 

[WitWonder]

Hmm currently having the same issues with 3944. Started at 1050 and down to 1017 after 13 days @ 20degrees. I might see if I can rouse the little buggers via some stirring?

 

[andreic]

Hmm currently having the same issues with 3944. Started at 1050 and down to 1017 after 13 days @ 20degrees. I might see if I can rouse the little buggers via some stirring?

I've done 3 ferments with Wit 3944 - all with 1L starters. I tried gently rocking the fermenter daily and raising the temp to 22c to finish off. I bottled them after 21 days, 20 days and 21 days... next time I'm going to make a larger starter.

Maybe raise the temp and rock your fermenter. I'm not into stirring fermenting beer, but if you're comfortable with that go for it. Other than that, settle in for a little more fermenting time...

Andrei

 

[WitWonder]

I've done 3 ferments with Wit 3944 - all with 1L starters. I tried gently rocking the fermenter daily and raising the temp to 22c to finish off. I bottled them after 21 days, 20 days and 21 days... next time I'm going to make a larger starter.

Maybe raise the temp and rock your fermenter. I'm not into stirring fermenting beer, but if you're comfortable with that go for it. Other than that, settle in for a little more fermenting time...

Andrei

Thanks Andrei. I think I'll leave it at 20 and sit back and wait. I'm hoping for about 1012FG. 21 days takes me to next weekend which will be fine as I'll pitch another on the slurry.

 

[3G]

Currently have 20lt of wit fermenting with 3944. Pitched a 2lt starter on monday and fermenting at 17degrees, currently at 1016, yeah B)

 

[///]

The obvious is temp and yeast numbers for stopping.

I do not know, but we can find out, are these heavy O2 strains?? Stopping around the 20's is one sign that there was not enough o2 in the wort. The yeast starts short of breathe (so to speak) and ends up unable to finish the yeast.

For a heavy o2 yeast, one solution is to hit with an airstone in the first 24 hours till the meringue forms, say every 4-6 hours. This will mean a good amount of 02 as the yeast goes thru its transition to fermentation.

Just dont leave the airstone unattended - wort likes to make sticky foam whish is a buggar to clean up.

I had issues with Ringwood strain until Simon advised this trick - since then no issues at all.

 

[hockadays]

Does anyone know if the forbidden fruit yeast is similiar in performance to the 3944? Am thinking of giving this a whirl in some witbier...

 

[///]

Does anyone know if the forbidden fruit yeast is similiar in performance to the 3944? Am thinking of giving this a whirl in some witbier...

I do believe Kurtz used this yeast, and like a triffid it lassoed him and tried to pull him into the fermenter - that should be an agressive top cropper than loves to crawl out of the fermenter.

All yeasts should work well as long as they are managed correctly ...

 

[reVoxAHB]

My most recent 3944 took a full 6 weeks to drop below 1.019 to finishing. SG to 1.019 was like 10 days from memory.

It was a fresh pack to 1L 1.040 starter.. i wasn't able to brew the first weekend as planned, so fed it another 1L to keep it going. At brewday the following weekend, decanted and pitched to 22L approx. Had a vigorous start and nice blowoff. Temp controlled throughout at 19-20C. I didn't rock or swirl this one.. and boy it bloody took forever.

Only thing I'd do again is double or triple the batch size

reVox